Process for producing polyhydric alcohols and derivatives

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an improved process for the manufacture of such valuable chemicals as polyhydric alcohols by the reaction of synthesis gas, i.e., a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, in the presence of a rhodium carbonyl complex wherein the improvement comprises effecting said reaction in the presence of copper and/or its salts.

This invention relates to an improved process for the manufacture of polyhydric alcohols, in particular alkane polyols, as well as a variety of other chemicals, in particular methanol, from synthesis gas, i.e., a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

Specifically, this invention is directed to an improved process of making alkane diols, triols, tetraols, etc., containing 2, 3, 4 or more carbon atoms. A key product of the process of this invention is ethylene glycol. Byproducts of this invention are the lesser valuable, but nonetheless valuable, monohydric alkanols such as methanol, and ethanol. The products of the process of this invention contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.

There are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,833,634 issued Sept. 3, 1974, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,857, issued May 18, 1976, processes for reacting hydrogen and oxides of carbon in the presence of rhodium carbonyl complex catalysts. The conditions, employed in those processes involve reacting a mixture of an oxide of carbon and hydrogen with a catalytic amount of rhodium in a complex combination with carbon monoxide, at a temperature of between about 100° C. to about 375° C. and a pressure of between about 500 p.s.i.a. to about 50,000 p.s.i.a. In addition to the aforementioned U.S. Patents, the following U.S. Patents and U.S. Patent applications amplify the development of the process for making alkane polyols from mixtures of hydrogen and oxides of carbon:

    ______________________________________                                         U.S.P. 3,878,292 Patented April 15, 1975                                       U.S.P. 3,878,290 Patented April 15, 1975                                       U.S.P. 3,878,214 Patented April 15, 1975                                       U.S.P. 3,886,364 Patented May 27, 1975                                         U.S.P. 3,940,432 Patented February 24, 1976                                    U.S.P. 3,929,969 Patented December 30, 1975                                    U.S.P. 3,952,039 Patented April 20, 1976                                       U.S.P. 3,948,965 Patented April 6, 1976                                        U.S.P. 3,944,588 Patented March 16, 1976                                       U.S.P. 3,957,857 Patented May 18, 1976                                         U.S.P. 3,974,259 Patented August 10, 1976                                      (fomerly U.S. Ser. No. 455,380, filed March 27, 1974)                          U.S.P. 3,989,799 Patented November 2, 1976                                     (formerly U.S. Ser. No. 455,379, filed March 27, 1974)                         U.S.P. 4,013,700 Patented March 22, 1977                                       (formerly U.S. Ser. No. 526,942, filed November 25, 1974)                      U.S. Ser. No. 488,139                                                                           Filed July 12, 1974                                            (now abandoned)                                                               U.S.P. 3,968,136 Patented July 6, 1976                                         (formerly U.S. Ser. No. 488,140, filed July 12, 1974)                          U.S. Ser. No. 506,862                                                                           Filed September 17, 1974                                       (now abandoned)                                                               U.S.P. 4,001,289 Patented Januray 4, 1977                                      (formerly U.S. Ser. No. 506,864, filed September 17, 1974)                     U.S. Ser. No. 506,865                                                                           Filed September 17, 1974                                       (now abandoned)                                                               U.S. Ser. No. 615,093                                                                           Filed September 19, 1975                                      U.S. Ser. No. 537,885                                                                           Filed January 2, 1975                                          (now abandoned)                                                               U.S. Ser. No. 618,023                                                                           Filed September 30, 1975                                       (now abandoned)                                                               U.S. Ser. No. 618,061                                                                           Filed September 30, 1975                                       (now abandoned)                                                               U.S. Ser. No. 618,021                                                                           Filed September 30, 1975                                      U.S. Ser. No. 727,646                                                                           Filed September 29, 1976                                       (now abandoned)                                                               U.S. Ser. No. 782,986                                                                           Filed March 30, 1977                                          (now U.S.P. 4,111,975, patented September 5, 1978).                            ______________________________________                                    

As described in copending application Ser. No. 882,396, filed on Mar. 11, 1978, when synthesis gas (hydrogen and oxides of carbon) is reacted in the presence of rhodium carbonyl complex catalysts to produce polyhydric alcohol(s) the reaction generally contains certain sulfur compounds which inhibit the production of the polyhydric alcohol(s). These contaminant sulfur compounds contain sulfur in the -2.0. and +4 oxidation states. A principal source of these contaminant sulfur compounds is formed from the commercial production of synthesis gas. Also, these contaminant sulfur compounds may be present in the reaction from sources other than the synthesis gas as, for example, from the decomposition of sulfur containing solvents. Examples of compounds wherein sulfur is in the -2,0, and +4 oxidation states include sulfides, sulfoxides and SO₂.

In accordance with the practice of the present invention, production of polyhydric alcohol(s) is increased when the aforementioned reactions of hydrogen and oxides of carbon in the presence of rhodium carbonyl complex catalysts are conducted in the presence of copper, or its salts or mixtures thereof.

It has been found that when the production of polyhydric alcohol(s) is conducted in the presence of copper or its salts or mixtures thereof, said copper removes sulfur in the -2 oxidation state which is present therein.

Illustrative of the copper salts useful in the practice of the present invention are copper halides, hydroxides, alkoxides, aryl oxides, phosphates, carbonates, bicarbonates and carboxylates, such as copper formate, copper acetate, copper benzoate.

The copper and its salts are used in amounts which are sufficient to remove sulfur in the -2 oxidation state from the reaction of synthesis gas. The copper and its salts are used in amounts which are from 10 to 0.1 and preferably from 4 to 2 times the amount of sulfur to be removed.

The improved process of the present invention involves the production of polyhydric alcohol(s) by reacting in a suitable solvent, a mixture of hydrogen and oxides of carbon in the presence of a rhodium carbonyl complex wherein in the improvement comprises carrying out the reaction in the presence of copper or its salts or mixtures thereof in an amount sufficient to remove sulfur which is present therein in the -2 oxidation state.

The rhodium carbonyl complex catalysts suitable for use herein may be in the form of rhodium carbonyl clusters. P. Chini, in a review article entitled "The Closed Metal Carbonyl Clusters" published in Review (1968), Inorganica Chimica Acta, pages 30-50, states that a metal cluster compound is "a finite group of metal atoms which are held together entirely, mainly, or at least to a significant extent by bonds directly between the metal atoms even though some non-metal atoms may be associated intimately with the clusters". The rhodium carbonyl cluster contain rhodium bonded to rhodium or rhodium bonded to another metal, such as cobalt and/or iridium. The preferred rhodium carbonyl cluster compounds are those which contain rhodium-rhodium bonds. These compounds desirably contain carbon and oxygen in the form of carbonyl (--CO), in which the carbonyl may be "terminal", "edge-bridging", and/or "face-bridging". They may also contain hydrogen and carbon in forms other than carbonyl. The structure of two distinct rhodium carbonyl clusters having the formula Rh₆ (CO)₁₆ and Rh₁₂ (CO)₃₀ ²⁻, and both suitable for use in this invention, are shown for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,857.

The structures of the rhodium carbonyl clusters may be ascertained by X-ray crystal diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra, or infrared spectra as disclosed in the article entitled "Synthesis and Properties of the Derivatives of the [Rh₁₂ (CO)₃₀ ]²⁻ Anion" by P. Chini and S. Martinengo; appearing in the Inorganica Chimica Acta, 3:2 pp299-302, June (1969). Of particular analytical utility in the present invention is the use of infrared spectroscopy which allows for characterization of the particular rhodium carbonyl complex present during the operation of the process of the present invention.

A number of nitrogen and/or oxygen-containing bases may be used in the process of the present invention. For the purposes of this invention, the bases can be considered to promote the activity of the rhodium catalysts.

Nitrogen Lewis bases used as promoters generally contain hydrogen and nitrogen atoms. They may also contain carbon and/or oxygen atoms. They may be organic or inorganic compounds. With respect to the organic compounds, the carbon atoms can be part of an acyclic and/or cyclic radical such as aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, aromatic (including fused and bridged) carbon radicals, and the like. Preferably, the organic Lewis bases contain from 2 to 60, most preferably 2 to 40 carbon atoms. The nitrogen atoms can be in the form of imino(--N═), amino (--N--), nitrilo (N.tbd.), etc. Desirably, the Lewis base nitrogen atoms are in the form of imino nitrogen and/or amino nitrogen. The oxygen atoms can be in the form of groups such as hydroxyl (aliphatic or phenolic), carboxyl ##STR1## carbonyloxy ##STR2## oxy (--O--), carbonyl ##STR3## etc., all of said groups containing Lewis base oxygen atoms. In this respect, it is the "hydroxyl" oxygen in the ##STR4## group and the "oxy" oxygen in the ##STR5## group that are acting as Lewis base atoms. The organic Lewis bases may also contain other atoms and/or groups as substituents of the aforementioned radicals, such as alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, chloro, trialkylsilyl substituents.

Illustrative of organic aza-oxa Lewis bases are, for example, the alkanolamines, such as, ethanolamine, diethanolamine, isopropanolamine, di-n-propanolamine, and the like; N,N-dimethylglycine, N,N-diethylglycine; iminodiacetic acid, N-methyliminodiacetic acid; N-methyldiethanolamine; 2-hydroxypyridine, 2,4-dihydroxypyridine, 2-methoxypyridine, 2,6-dimethoxypyridine, 2-ethoxypyridine; lower alkyl substituted hydroxypyridines, such as 4-methyl-2-hydroxypyridine, 4-methyl-2,6-dihydroxypyridine, and the like; morpholine, substituted morpholines, such as 4-methylmorpholine, 4-phenylmorpholine; picolinic acid, methyl-substituted picolinic acid; nitrilotriacetic acid, 2,5-dicarboxypiperazine, N-(2-hydroxyethyl) iminodiacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; 2,6-dicarboxypyridine; 8-hydroxyquinoline, 2-carboxyquinoline, cyclohexane-1,2-diamine-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid, the tetramethyl ester of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and the like.

Other Lewis base nitrogen containing compounds include organic and inorganic amines.

Illustrative of such inorganic amines are, e.g., ammonia, hydroxylamine, and hydrazine. Primary, secondary, or tertiary organic amines are promoters. This includes the mono- and polyamines (such as di-, tri-, tetraamines, etc.) and those compounds in which the Lewis base nitrogen forms part of a ring structure as in pyridine, quinoline, pyrimidine morpholine, hexamethylenetetraamine, and the like. In addition any compounds capable of yielding an amino nitrogen under the reaction conditions of the present invention are promoters, as in the case of an amide, such as formamide, cyanamide, and urea, or an oxime. Further illustrative of Lewis base nitrogen compounds are aliphatic amines such as methylamine, ethylamine, n-propylamine, isopropylamine, octylamine, dodecylamine, dimethylamine, diethylamine, diisoamylamine, methylethylamine, diisobutylamine, trimethylamine, methyldiethylamine, triisobutylamine, tridecylamine, and the like; aliphatic and aromatic di- and polyamines such as 1,2-ethanediamine, 1,3-propanediamine, N,N,N',N'-tetramethylenediamine, N,N,N',N'-tetraethylethylenediamine, N,N,N',N'-tetra-n-propylethylenediamine, N,N,N',N'-tetrabutylethylenediamine, o-phenylenediamine, m-phenylenediamine, p-phenylenediamine, p-tolylenediamine, o-tolidene, N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine, N,N,N',N'-tetraethyl-4,4'-biphenyldiamine, and the like; aromatic amines such as aniline, 1-naphthylamine, 2-naphthylamine, naphthylamine, p-toluidine, o-3-xylidine, p-2-xylidine, benzylamine, diphenylamine, dimethylaniline, diethylaniline, N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine, bis-(1,8)-dimethylaminonaphthalene, and the like; alicyclic amines such as cyclohexylamine, dicyclohexylamine, and the like; heterocyclic amines such as piperidine; substituted piperidines such as 2-methylpiperidine, 3-methylpiperidine, 4-ethylpiperidine, and 3-phenylpiperidine; pyridine; substituted pyridines such as 2-methylpyridine, 2-phenylpyridine, 2-methyl-4-ethylpyridine, 2,4,6-trimethylpyridine, 2-dodecylpyridine, 2-chloropyridine, and 2-(dimethylamino) pyridine; quinoline; substituted quinolines, such as 2-(dimethylamino)-6-methoxyquinoline; 4,5-phenanthroline; 1,8-phenanthroline; 1,5-phenanthroline; piperazine; substituted piperazines such as N-methylpiperazine, N-ethylpiperazine, 2-methyl-N-methylpiperazine; 2,2'dipyridyl, methyl-substituted 2,2-dipyridyl; ethyl-substituted 2,2'-dipyridyl; 4-triethylsilyl-2,2'-dipyridyl; 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, methyl substituted 1,4-diazabicyclo [2.2.2]octane, purine and the like.

Also included herein are the use of dimorpholine compounds characterized by the formula: ##STR6## wherein R is divalent alkylene of 1 to about 30 carbon atoms and 1,4-phenylene.

The base provided to the reaction mixture is present in an amount which is equal to or greater than that amount, determined from the base's basicity, which achieves the optimum rate of formation of said alkane polyol at said correlated catalyst concentration, temperature and pressure of such reaction mixture.

The concentration of the base will typically be within about 0.001 to about 10 molar. Obviously this range is definitive of the potential scatter of concentrations predicated on the varieties of the bascities of the bases available.

Under reaction conditions the base is preferably used in amounts from about 0.02 to about 40 equivalents of base, most preferably from about 0.1 to about 20 equivalents base, for every atom of rhodium in the reaction mixture. The number of equivalents of base is equal to the number of molecules of base times the number of nitrogen atoms in each molecule.

In practicing the method of the present invention, the synthesis of the desired alkane diols and derivatives thereof, by the reaction of hydrogen with an oxide of carbon is suitably conducted under operative conditions, as heretofore described, which give reasonable reaction rates and/or conversions.

The process is suitably effected over a wide superatmospheric pressure range of from about 800 psia to about 50,000 psia. Pressures as high as 50,000 psia, and higher can be employed but with no apparent advantages attendant thereto which offset the unattractive plant investment outlay required for such high pressure equipment. Therefore, the upper pressure limitation is desirably approximately 16,000 psia. Effecting the present process below about 16,000 psia, especially below about 13,000 psia, and preferably at pressures below about 8000 psia, results in cost advantages which are associated with low pressure equipment requirements. In attempting to foresee a commercial operation of this process, pressures between about 4,000 psia and 16,000 psia appear to represent most realistic values.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the pressures referred to above represent the total pressures of hydrogen and oxides of carbon in the reactor.

The process of this invention can also be carried out by providing salts in the homogeneous liquid phase reaction mixture. Suitable salts include any organic or inorganic salt which does not adversely affect the production of polyhydric alcohols. Experimental work suggest that any salt is beneficial as either a copromoter and/or in aiding in maintaining rhodium in solution during the reaction. Illustrative of the salts useful in the practice of the present invention are the ammonium salts and the salts of the metals of Group I and Group II of the Periodic Table (Handbook of Chemistry and Physics-50th Edition) for instance the halide, hydroxide, alkoxide, phenoxide and carboxylate salts such as sodium fluoride, cesium fluoride, cesium pyridinolate, cesium formate, cesium acetate, cesium benzoate, cesium p-methylsulfonylbenzoate (CH₃ SO₂ C₆ H₄ COO)Cs, rubidium acetate, magnesium acetate, strontium acetate, ammonium formate, ammonium benzoate and the like. Preferred are the cesium, rubidium, potassium, and ammonium salts.

Also useful in the practice of the present invention are organic salts of the following formula: ##STR7## wherein R₁ through R₆ in formulas (I) and (II) above are any organic radicals which do not adversely affect the production of polyhydric alcohols by reacting oxides of carbon with hydrogen in the presence of the aforedefined rhodium carbonyl complex, such as a straight or branched chain alkyl group, having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, such as methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, octyl, 2-ethylhexyl, dodecyl, and the like; or a cycloaliphatic group including the monocyclic and bicyclic groups cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, and bicyclo[2.2.1]heptyl groups, and the like or an aryl, alkylaryl, or aralkyl group such as phenyl, naphthyl, xylyl, tolyl, t-butylphenyl, benzyl, beta-phenylethyl, 3-phenylpropyl and the like; or a functionally substituted alkyl such as beta-hydroxyethyl, ethoxymethyl, ethoxyethyl, phenoxyethyl, and the like; or a polyalkylene ether group of the formula (C_(n) H_(2n) O)_(x) --OR wherein n has an average value from 1 to 4, x has an average value from 2 to about 150, and R may be hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to about 12 carbon atoms. Illustrative of such polyalkylene ether groups are poly(oxyethylene), poly(oxypropylene), poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene), poly(oxyethyleneoxybutylene), and the like. Y in formulas I and II above may be any anion which does not adversely affect the production of polyhydric alcohols in the practice of the present invention such as hydroxide; a halide, for instance fluoride, chloride, bromide and iodide; a carboxylate group, such as formate, acetate, propionate, and benzoate and the like; an alkoxide group such as methoxide, ethoxide, phenoxide, and the like; a functionally substituted alkoxide or phenoxide group such as methoxyethoxide, ethoxyethoxide, phenoxyethoxide and the like; a pyridinolate or quinolate group; and others. Preferably Y in formulas I and II, above, is a carboxylate, most preferably formate, acetate and benzoate.

A suitable method for preparing the bis(triorganophosphine) iminium salts is disclosed in an article by Appel, R. and Hanas, A. appearing in Z. Anorg. u. Allg. Chem., 311, 290, (1961).

Other organic salts useful in the practice of the present invention include the quaternized heterocyclic amine salts such as the pyridinium, piperidinium, morpholinium, quinolinium salts and the like, e.g., N-ethylpyridinium fluoride, N-methylmorpholinium benzoate, N-phenylpiperidinium hydroxide, N,N'-dimethyl-2,2-bipyridinium acetate, and the like.

In addition, the anion of the above salt may be any of the rhodium carbonyl anions. Suitable rhodium carbonyl anions include [Rh₆ (CO)₁₅ ]²⁻ ; [Rh₆ (CO)₁₅ Y]⁻ wherein Y may be halogen, such as chlorine, bromine, or iodine, [Rh₆ (CO)₁₅ ("COOR")]⁻ wherein R" is lower alkyl or aryl such as methyl, ethyl, or phenyl; [Rh₆ (CO)₁₄ ]²⁻ ; [Rh₇ (CO)₁₆ ]³⁻ ; [Rh₁₂ (CO)₃₀ ]^(2-;) Rh₁₃ (CO)₂₄ H₃ ⁻² ; and Rh₁₃ (CO)₂₄ H₂ ⁻³.

Under reaction conditions where a salt is employed the salt is desirably added with the initial charge of reactants in amounts of from about 0.5 to about 2.0 moles, preferably from about 0.8 to about 1.6 moles, and most preferably from about 0.9 to 1.4 moles of salt for every five atoms of rhodium present in the reaction mixture.

Illustrative solvents which are generally suitable in making the homogeneous mixture include, for example, ethers such as tetrahydrofuran, tetrahydropyran, diethyl ether, 1,2-dimethoxybenzene, 1,2-diethoxybenzene, the mono- and dialkyl ethers of ethylene glycol, of propylene glycol, of butylene glycol, of diethylene glycol, of dipropylene glycol, of triethylene glycol, of tetraethylene glycol, of dibutylene glycol, of oxyethylenepropylene glycol, etc; alkanols such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, isobutanol, 2-ethylhexanol, etc.; ketones such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, cyclohexanone, cyclopentanone, etc.; esters such as methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, propyl acetate, butyl acetate, methyl propionate, ethyl butyrate, methyl laurate, etc.; water; gamma-butyrolactone, deltavalerolactone; substituted and unsubstituted tetrahydrothiophene-1,1-dioxides (sulfolanes) as disclosed in U.S. application 537,885, filed on Jan. 2, 1975, the disclosure at pages 6 and 7 of the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Also, the crown ethers are suitable herein, particularly those as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 832,384 filed Sept. 13, 1977, which application is incorporated herein by reference and is now U.S. Pat. No. 4,162,261, patented July 24, 1979. The crown ethers described therein contain at least four oxygen heteroatoms and include [18]-crown-6 and [15]-crown-5.

The preferred solvents for practising the invention are a number of solvents which have heretofore been described in the production of alkane polyols from synthesis gas.

Particularly desirable solvents are tetraglyme, sulfolane, gamma-butyrolactone and the crown ethers. Other very desirable solvents include mixtures of tetraglyme and sulfolane, mixtures of sulfolane and butyrolactone, mixtures of crown ethers and sulfolane, mixtures of crown ethers and tetraglyme, mixtures of crown ethers and butyrolactone, mixtures of tetraglyme and butyrolactone.

The temperature which may be employed can vary over a wide range of elevated temperatures. In general, the process can be conducted at a temperature in the range of from about 100° C. and upwards to approximately 375° C., and higher. Temperatures outside this stated range are not excluded from the scope of the invention. At the lower end of the temperature range, and lower, the rate of reaction to desired product becomes markedly slow. At the upper temperature range, and beyond, signs of some catalyst instability are noted. Notwithstanding this factor, reaction continues and alkane polyols and/or their derivatives are produced. Additionally, one should take notice of the equilibrium reaction for forming ethylene glycol

    2 CO+3H.sub.2 ⃡HOCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 OH

At relatively high temperatures the equilibrium increasingly favors the left hand side of the equation. To drive the reaction to the formation of increased quantities of ethylene glycol, higher partial pressures of carbon monoxide and hydrogen are required. Processes based on correspondingly higher pressures, however, do not represent preferred embodiments of the invention in view of the high investment costs associated with erecting chemical plants which utilize high pressure utilities and the necessity of fabricating equipment capable of withstanding such enormous pressures. Suitable temperatures are between about 150° C. to about 350° C., and desirably from about 210° C. to about 320° C.

The process is effected for a period of time sufficient to produce the alkane polyols and/or derivatives thereof. In general, the residence time can vary from minutes to several hours, e.g., from a few minutes to approximately 24 hours, and longer. It is readily appreciated that the residence period will be influenced to a significant extent by the reaction temperature, the concentration and choice of the catalyst, the total gas pressure and the partial pressures exerted by its components, the concentration and choice of diluent, and other factors. The synthesis of the desired product(s) by the reaction of hydrogen with an oxide of carbon is suitably conducted under operative conditions which give reasonable reaction rate and/or conversions.

The relative amounts of oxide of carbon and hydrogen which are initially present in the reaction mixture can be varied over a wide range. In general, the mole ratio of CO:H₂ is in the range of from about 20:1 to about 1:20, suitably from about 10:1 to about 1:10, and preferably from about 5:1 to about 1:5.

It is understood, however, that molar ratios outside the aforesaid broad range may be employed. Substances or reaction mixtures which give rise to the formation of carbon monoxide and hydrogen under the reaction conditions may be employed instead of mixtures comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen which are used in preferred embodiments in the practice of the invention. For instance, polyhydric alcohols are obtained by using mixtures containing carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Mixtures of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen can also be employed. If desired, the reaction mixture can comprise steam and carbon monoxide.

The process can be executed in a batch, semicontinuous, or continuous fashion. The reaction can be conducted in a single reaction zone or a plurality of reaction zones, in series or in parallel, or it may be conducted intermittently or continuously in an elongated tubular zone or series of such zones. The material of construction should be such that it is inert during the reaction and the fabrication of the equipment should be able to withstand the reaction temperature and pressure. The reaction zone can be fitted with internal and/or external heat exchanger(s) to thus control undue temperature fluctuations, or to prevent any possible "run-away" reaction temperatures due to the exothermic nature of the reaction. In preferred embodiments of the invention, agitation means to vary the degree of mixing of the reaction mixture can be suitably employed. Mixing induced by virbration, shaker, stirrer, rotatory, oscillation, ultrasonic, etc., are all illustrative of the types of agitation means which are contemplated. Such means are available and well-known to the art. The catalyst may be initially introduced into the reaction zone batchwise, or it may be continuously or intermittently introduced into such zone during the course of the synthesis reaction.

Means to introduce and/or adjust the reactants, either intermittently or continuously, into the reaction zone during the course of the reaction can be conveniently utilized in the novel process especially to maintain the desired molar ratios of and the partial pressures exerted by the reactants.

The operative conditions can be adjusted to optimize the conversion of the desired product and/or the economics of the process. In a continuous process, for instance, when it is preferred to operate at relatively low conversions, it is generally desirable to recirculate unreacted synthesis gas with/without make-up carbon monoxide and hydrogen to the reaction. Recovery of the desired product can be achieved by methods well-known in the art such as by distillation, fractionation, extraction, and the like. A fraction comprising rhodium catalyst, generally contained in byproducts and/or normally liquid organic diluent, can be recycled to the reaction zone, if desired. All or a portion of such fraction can be removed for recovery of the rhodium values or regeneration to the active catalyst and intermittently added to the recycle stream or directly to the reaction zone.

The active forms of the rhodium carbonyl clusters may be prepared by various techniques. They can be preformed and then introduced into the reaction zone or they can be formed in situ.

The equipment arrangement and procedure which provides the capability for determining the existence of anionic rhodium carbonyl complexes or clusters having defined infrared spectrum characteristics, during the course of the manufacture of polyhydric alcohols from carbon monoxide and hydrogen, pursuant to this invention is disclosed and schematically depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,857 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

A particularly desirable infrared cell construction is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,886,364, issued May 27, 1975, and its disclosure of a preferred cell construction is incorporated herein by reference.

The "oxide of carbon" as covered by the claims and as used herein is intended to mean carbon monoxide and mixtures of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, either introduced as such or formed in the reaction.

Sulfolane was purified as described by Arnett.¹ Cesium benzoate² (recryst. H₂ O. Anal. Found: C, 32.62; H, 1.90. Calcd. for C₇ H₅ O₂ Cs: C, 33.10; H, 1.98), cesium pivalate³ (washed with PhCl, recryst. H₂ O. Anal. Found: C, 24.75; H, 4.20. Calcd. for C₅ H₉ O₂ Cs: C, 25.66; H, 3.88), and cesium trifluoro-acetate⁴ (Anal. Found: C, 9.57; H, 0.43. Calcd. for C₂ O₂ CsF₃ : C, 9.77; H, 0.00), were prepared by use of literature procedures. Cesium triephenylacetate (recryst. H₂ O. Anal. Found: C, 56.25; H, 3.74. Calcd. for C₂₀ H₁₅ O₂ Cs: C, 57.16; H, 3.60) and cesium isobutyrate (washed with PhCl, recryst. H₂ O. Anal. Found: C, 21.01; H, 3.32. Calcd. for C₄ H₇ O₂ Cs: C, 21.84; H, 3.21) were prepared by reaction of CsOH with the corresponding acids.

REFERENCES

The following examples are merely illustrative and are not presented as a definition of the limits of the invention.

A 150 ml. capacity stainless steel reactor capable of withstanding pressures up to 7,000 atmospheres was charged with a premix of 75 cubic centimeters (cc) of solvent, 3.0 millimoles (mmol), 0.77 grams, of rhodium dicarbonylacetylacetonate, promoter(s) and copper compound. The reactor was sealed and charged with a gaseous mixture, containing equal molar amounts of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a pressure of 8,000 pounds per square inch (psig). Heat was applied to the reactor and its contents; when the temperature of the mixture inside the reactor reached 220° C., as measured by a suitably placed thermocouple, an additional adjustment of carbon monoxide and hydrogen (H₂ :CO=1:1 mole ratio) was made to bring the pressure back to 8000 psig. The temperature (in °C.) was maintained at the desired value for 4 hours. During this period of time additional carbon monoxide and hydrogen was added whenever the pressure inside the reactor dropped below about 7500 psig. With these added repressurizations the pressure inside the reactor was maintained at 8000 psig±400 psig over the entire 4 hour period.

After the 4 hour period, the vessel and its contents were cooled to room temperature, the excess gas vented and the reaction product mixture was removed. Analysis of the reaction product mixture was made by gas chromatographic analysis using a Hewlett Packard FM™ model 810 Research Chromatography.

Rhodium recovery was determined by atomic absorption analysis of the contents of the reactor after the venting of the unreacted gases at the end of the reaction. A further analysis was run on a "wash" of the reactor. The wash of the reactor consisted of charging to the reactor 100 cc of the cosolvent used for that experiment, and bringing the reactor and its contents to a temperature of 160° C. and a pressure of 14,000 to 15,000 psig and maintaining these conditions for a period of 30 minutes. The reactor was then cooled and the unreacted gases vented and an atomic absorption analysis for rhodium was run on the reactor's contents. The rhodium recovery values recited below are the percent rhodium based on the total rhodium charged to the reactor that is soluble or suspended in the reaction mixture plus the wash after the specified reaction time. The results are set forth in Table I.

                                      TABLE I                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Effect Of Copper On The Reaction                                               Copper                                         Weight Of                                                                                Rhoduct               Ex- Compound      Tempera-                     Metha-                                                                             Ethylene                                                                             Recovery              ample                                                                              (Mmoles)                                                                               Solvent                                                                              ture(°C.)                                                                    Salt (Mmoles)                                                                             Amine (Mmoles)                                                                              nol(g)                                                                             Glycol(g)                                                                            (%)                   __________________________________________________________________________         --      Sulfolane                                                                            260  --         N-methylmorpholine(7.0)                                                                     4.14                                                                               5.50  70                    2   Cu(OAc).sub.2 (0.5)                                                                    "     "    --         "            3.86                                                                               4.99  72                    3   Cu(OAc).sub.2 (1.0)                                                                    "     "    --         "            3.31                                                                               4.41  73                    4   --      "     "    --         PhCO.sub.2 NH.sub.4.sup.(2) (0.65)                                                          4.53                                                                               4.90  66                    5   Cu(OAc).sub.2 (3.0)                                                                    "     "    --         "            2.37                                                                               3.33  62                    6   --      "     240  --         N-methylmorpholine(5.0)                                                                     2.97,2.75                                                                          4.275,4.30                                                                           93,76                 7   Cu(OAc).sub.2 (0.65)                                                                   "     "    --         "            3.23                                                                               4.76  97                    8   Cu (3.0)                                                                               "     "    --         "            3.26                                                                               4.82  107                   9   --      Tetraglyme                                                                           220  (Ph.sub.3 P).sub.2 NOAc.sup.(1) (0.65)                                                    Pyridine (1.25)                                                                             1.41,1.47                                                                          5.01,5.10                                                                            85,89                 10  Cu (1.0)                                                                               "     "    "          "            1.23                                                                               4.60  80                    11  Cu (3.0)                                                                               "     "    "          "            1.60                                                                               5.45  83                    12  Cu (10.0)                                                                              "     "    "          "            1.33                                                                               5.04  85                    13  --      "     240  (Ph.sub.3 P).sub.2 NOAc(0.75)                                                             Pyridine (1.25)                                                                             2.50                                                                               6.32  85                    14  Cu (3.0)                                                                               "     240  "          "            2.46                                                                               6.02  78                    15  --      "     220  HCO.sub.2 Cs.sup.(3) 0.65)                                                                Pyridine (1.25)                                                                             2.83,1.95                                                                          4.41,4.11                                                                            85,83                 16  Cu(OAc).sub.2 (0.65)                                                                   "     220  "          "            0.81                                                                               0.88  14                    __________________________________________________________________________      .sup.(1) bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium acetate                                .sup.(2) ammonium benzoate                                                     .sup.(3) cesium formate                                                  

EXAMPLES 17 TO 25

The procedure as set forth in Examples 1 to 16 was exactly repeated except that the reactor is charged with a premix of 75 cc of sulfolane, 3.0 millimoles of rhodium dicarbonylacetylacetonate, 0.65 millimole of ammonium benzoate and copper compound. The temperature of the reaction was maintained at 260° C. for four hours. Also, sulfur in the -2 oxidation state (added as tetrahydrothiophene) was introduced by either of the following two procedures:

Procedure A:-the tetrahydrothiophene was added under ambient conditions along with the solvent, salt and catalyst.

Procedure B:-the tetrahydrothiophene was added 10 minutes after the solution was at reaction conditions.

The results are set forth in Table II.

The data in Table II show that copper can prevent poisoning by sulfur in the -2 oxidation state, but it cannot remove the sulfur from the rhodium, once it is complexed with the rhodium.

                                      TABLE II                                     __________________________________________________________________________     EFFECT OF COPPER ON POISONING BY S IN THE -2 OXIDATION STATE                   Tetrahydrothiophene  Copper     Weight of Products                                                                              Rh                            Example                                                                             (mmoles)                                                                            Mode of Introduction                                                                      Compound (mmoles)                                                                         Methanol (g)                                                                          Ethylene Glycol (g)                                                                      Recovery                      __________________________________________________________________________                                                      (%)                           17   --   --         --         4.53   4.90      66 + 3                        18   --   --         Cu(OAc).sub.2 (3.0)                                                                       2.37   3.33      62 + 7                        19   2.5  A          Cu(OAc).sub.2 (3.0)                                                                       0.35   0.42      88 + 7                        20   2.1  B          Cu(OAc).sub.2 (2.0)                                                                       1.41   1.81      87 + 4                        21   1.6  B          Cu(OAc).sub.2 (3.0)                                                                       2.65   4.02      59 + 9                        22   2.2  B          Cu(OAc).sub.2 (6.0)                                                                       0.61   0.77      93 + 5                        23   1.6  B          Cu (3.0)   2.92   4.17      61 + 6                        24   1.0  B          Cu (6.0)   2.12   2.48      59 + 6                        25   2.5  A          --         0.66   0.61      78 + 6                        __________________________________________________________________________

EXAMPLES 26 TO 46

The procedure as set forth in Examples 1 to 16 was exactly repeated except that the reactor is charged with a premix of 75 cc of sulfolane, 3.0 millimoles of rhodium dicarbonylacetylacetonate, salt, copper compound and sulfur compound, where the sulfur therein is in the +4 oxidation state (according to either of procedure A and B, as described above). The results are set forth in Table III.

                                      TABLE III                                    __________________________________________________________________________     EFFECT OF COPPER ON POISONING BY S IN THE + 4 OXIDATION STATE                  Sulfur      Mode of                                                                              Temper-          Copper  Weight of Products                     Compound Intro-                                                                               ature            Compound       Ethylene                                                                             Rh Recov-              Ex.                                                                               (Mmoles) duction                                                                              (°C.)                                                                        SALT(Mmoles)                                                                               (Mmoles)                                                                               Methanol(g)                                                                           Glycol(g)                                                                            ery                    __________________________________________________________________________                                                             (%)                    26 --       --    260  ammonium benzoate(0.65)                                                                    --      4.53   4.90   66+ 3                 27 --       --    "    "           Cu(OAc).sub.2 (3.0)                                                                    2.37   3.33  62+ 7                  28 SO.sub.2.sup.(1) (˜0.6)                                                           A     "    "           --      1.27   1.34  69                     29 SO.sub.2 (˜1.3)                                                                   A     "    "           --      1.33   0.40  81                     30 SO.sub.2 (˜0.9)                                                                   B     "    "           Cu(OAc).sub.2 (1.5)                                                                    0.74   0.78  76                     31  SO.sub.2 (˜0.06)                                                                 B     "    "           Cu(OAc).sub.2 (3.0)                                                                    2.27   2.33  68                     32 SO.sub.2 (˜0.6)                                                                   B     "    "           Cu(OAc).sub.2 (3.0)                                                                    1.52   1.95  66                     33 SO.sub.2 (˜1.1)                                                                   B     "    "           Cu(OAc).sub.2 (3.0)                                                                    0.53   0.56  82                     34 SO.sub.2 (˜1.2)                                                                   B     "    "           Cu(OAc).sub.2 (4.0)                                                                    0.6    0.7   75                     35 --       --    240  ammonium acetate(0.50)                                                                     --      2.60,2.58                                                                             5.10,5.25                                                                            76+ 6,80+ 6            36 --       --    "    ammonium acetate(0.65)                                                                     --      1.92,2.84                                                                             3.91,6.10                                                                            48+ 5,80+ 8            37 --       --    "    ammonium acetate(0.8)                                                                      --      2.21,2.52                                                                             5.30,4.90                                                                            74+ 7,63+ 14           38 --       --    "    ammonium acetate(1.0)                                                                      --      3.31   5.07  74+ 8                  39 --       --    "    ammonium acetate(1.25)                                                                     --      3.85   5.90  83+ 9                  40 --       --    "    ammonium acetate(1.5)                                                                      --      4.00   5.15  74+ 5                  41 --       --    "    ammonium acetate(2.0)                                                                      --      5.12   5.44  80+ 4                  42 --       --    "    ammonium acetate(2.5)                                                                      --      5.70   5.15  75+ 9                  43 (NH.sub.4).sub.2 SO.sub.3.sup.(2) (1.0)                                                 A     240  ammonium acetate(0.50)                                                                     --      1.11   1.55  82+ 6                  44 (NH.sub.4).sub.2 SO.sub.3.sup.(2) (1.3)                                                 B     240  "           Cu(OAc).sub. 2 (1.0)                                                                   2.24   1.85  89                     45 (NH.sub.4).sub.2 SO.sub.3.sup.(2) (1.0)                                                 B     240  "           Cu(OAc).sub.2 (3.0)                                                                    1.15   1.92  93                     46 Cu.sub.2 SO.sub.3 (1.0)                                                                 A     240  "           Cu.sub.2 SO.sub.3.sup.(3)                                                              0.13   0.13  87                     __________________________________________________________________________      .sup.(1) added as a 6% aqueous solution                                        .sup.(2) examples 35 to 43 demonstrate the effect of NH.sub.4 +                .sup.(3) total amount of Cu.sub.2 SO.sub.3 in the system is 1.0 mmole     

What is claimed is:
 1. The process for producing alkane polyol(s) which comprises reacting oxides of carbon and hydrogen present in a feed containing sulfur in the -2 oxidation state, in a homogeneous liquid phase reaction mixture which (i) contains a rhodium carbonyl complex catalyst and copper or copper salts or mixtures thereof and (ii) is at an elevated temperature of between about 100° C. and about 375° C. and a pressure between about 500 and about 50,000 psig., said copper or copper salts or mixtures thereof being present in the reaction mixture in an amount sufficient to remove sulfur which is introduced to said reaction mixture in said feed in the -2 oxidation state after the reaction mixture is at said elevated temperature.
 2. The process of claim 1, wherein the copper salt is cupric acetate.
 3. The process of claim 1, which is carried out in the presence of copper.
 4. The process of claim 1, wherein the copper salts are selected from copper halides, hydroxides, alkoxides, aryl oxides, phosphates, carbonates, bicarbonates and carboxylates. 